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Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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ANN ARBOR
What’s on your Ann Arbor November ballot? A voter’s guide by The Michigan Daily for the 2021 Special Election KRISTINA ZHENG Daily News Editor
The Michigan Daily put together a local election guide to help voters understand what will be on the ballot for the Nov. 2 Ann Arbor special election. Voters will consider four ballot proposals, outlined below as Proposals A through D.
ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily Survivors of the late University doctor Robert Anderson protested with supporters Oct. 14 to demand greater transparency and support for sexual misconduct victims.
Anderson survivors rally outside Schlissel’s house Crowd of more than 100 demand accountability from University administration GEORGE WEYKAMP & NIRALI PATEL Daily Staff Reporters
Jonathan Vaughn, a former University of Michigan running back, has been camping in a tent outside of University President Mark Schlissel’s residence on South University Avenue for more than six days, as of Oct. 14. Vaughn, a survivor of late athletic doctor Robert Anderson, said he’ll stay there rain or shine until Schlissel and the regents commit to meet with him and other Anderson survivors. He is also spreading awareness of the now 2,000 known accusations of abuse by Anderson and calling on the University to support other survivors. A crowd of more than
100 joined Vaughn on Oct. 14 in front of the President’s house to protest the University’s handling of the allegations against Anderson and demand greater transparency and support for sexual misconduct victims. The vigil was organized in response to a Sept. 23 Board of Regents meeting, in which no University official verbally acknowledged the attendance of hundreds of former studentathletes who were survivors of Anderson. Survivors of both Anderson and former Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar have been expressing their support for Vaughn around South University Avenue since Oct. 8. When they gathered, many chanted phrases such as “We are not ashamed anymore,” “We are all
CAMPUS LIFE
Libraries operate at limited hours due to staffing shortages
Students struggle to find late night study spaces SARAH WILLIAMS Daily Staff Reporter
With the majority of libraries at the University of Michigan now operating on limited hours, some students say the adjusted schedule has created constraints on their study habits. The University of Michigan closed all libraries in March 2020 as campus shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though libraries have since resumed in-person services, they have yet to return to pre-pandemic hours. No library on campus is available between 12 a.m. and 9 a.m. Business sophomore Kayla Rothstein said though she typically studies at her sorority house, she decided to switch to the U-M libraries as midterms began. Rothstein said the libraries’ limited hours restrict her ability to study and make finding an open study spot difficult during later hours when only a few libraries remain open. “Hatcher (Graduate Library), which is where I prefer to study, is only open from 9:00-7:00, which I personally find pretty restrictive,” Rothstein said. “Yesterday, I was studying at Hatcher and it closed at seven, so then I went to Shapiro (Undergraduate Library) and I couldn’t find a table because everyone from Hatcher had moved to Shapiro.” Alan Piñon, U-M Library director of communication and marketing,wrote in an email to The Michigan Daily that the library is aware of frustrations surrounding library hours and is working to
expand them going forward, but they still face staffing shortages. “Our biggest challenge with returning hours to pre-pandemic levels is staffing,” Piñon wrote. “We had some full-time staff attrition over the pandemic, but our largest shortfall is student workers. To stabilize things going forward, we plan to add more full-time staff so we’re less reliant on students.” According to Piñon the Hatcher and Shapiro Libraries will both start opening an hour earlier at 8 a.m. on Oct. 20. Starting Oct. 22, the Hatcher Library will also start opening on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Shapiro Library will also open 24/7 from Dec. 11-17 to accommodate University study days and final exams. Labor shortages have become a common motif across campus and in local Ann Arbor businesses as more students return to campus without the labor supply to support it. At the beginning of the semester, students faced long lines for buses due to difficulties in hiring bus drivers. Other students have said the library hours aren’t too inconvenient. LSA freshman Ava Rapp said though she uses the Shapiro Library frequently, she does not feel restricted by the libraries’ hours because she wouldn’t use the library late at night anyway. “I work at Bert’s, so I’m here (at Shapiro Library) almost every day,” Rapp said. “I haven’t really been interrupted because I wouldn’t be walking around that much when it’s super late anyway.” Daily Staff Reporter Sarah Williams can be reached at smwi@ umich.edu.
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victorious” and “Wake up Mark.” In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Vaughn said despite sleeping outside Schlissel’s house since the night of Oct. 8 and seeing him come and go from work every day, he hasn’t heard from the University’s administration. Vaughn said he hoped the protest helps bring awareness to sexual misconduct and fosters a safer on-campus community. “The goal of tonight is freeing, is empowering, is showing solidarity for the Dr. Robert Anderson victims as well as all the students who feel like this University doesn’t properly treat … sexual assault and sexual abuse cases,” Vaughn said. “Although (the University) might be the number one public university in the world, it also has students, young ladies and young men who
say it’s not a safe place for them to go to college.” In an email to The Daily, University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald wrote that, while the University was appreciative of the survivors’ bravery for stepping out, they are unable to comment on ongoing litigation. Fitzgerald also wrote that the University remains committed to providing fair compensation for the survivors. “We hear all of the survivors of the late Dr. Robert Anderson’s abuse and we thank them for their bravery in coming forward,” Fitzgerald wrote. “We also are working toward fair compensation for the Anderson survivors through the confidential, court-supervised mediation process that is continuing.”
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Absentee Voting & Ballot Drop Box Locations Residents who wish to vote by mail or with any designated voter registration agency must register to do so by Oct. 18. Voters may request an absentee ballot here. After Oct. 18,voters may still register in person at the City Clerk’s Office with proof of residency until 8 p.m. Nov. 2. Voters must return ballots no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, though the City Clerk’s Office recommends voters return ballots in advance. Any Ann Arbor resident voting by absentee ballot can return their ballot at the following drop box locations: - Inside Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St., at the north entrance - Outside Larcom City Hall on Ann Street, located by the customer service drop box on the north side of Ann Street and east of Fifth Avenue. - Parking lot at Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena and Pool, 2150 Jackson Ave. - Outside Ann Arbor Fire Station 5, 1946 Beal Ave. - Outside Cobblestone Farm/ Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Customer Service Center, 2781 Packard Rd. - Outside Ann Arbor Fire Station 6 at Eisenhower entrance, northwest
side of building, 1881 Briarwood Circle. Proposal A: Best Value Purchasing In July, the Ann Arbor City Council approved a city charter amendment in hopes of allowing city staff to better assess the quality of bidders for public improvement projects. If passed, this proposal would require the city of Ann Arbor to award contracts for supplies, materials or public improvements based on “best value” instead of going with the lowest responsible bidder, meaning someone who is able to satisfactorily perform the work but at the lowest price. The amendment enables the city to prioritize other factors when considering contracts, such as references from previous jobs and the size, complexity and success of past projects. The city will also take into account whether the bidder aligns with labor protections, such as quality of employee benefits, and whether the bidder engages in an apprenticeship program for its employees. Under this proposal, the city will also assess any past violations of state, local or federal employee protection laws. Proposal B: Ranked Choice Voting for the Election of City Officers If approved, this proposal would allow Ann Arbor voters to elect candidates for mayor and Ann Arbor City Council through ranked-choice voting in the primary and general election, if the state of Michigan authorizes this voting system.
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RESEARCH
UMich start-up May Mobility launches free autonomous vehicle shuttle service
Each car is supervised by an Autonomous Vehicle Operator sitting in the driver’s seat ELISSA WELLE
Daily Staff Reporter
Partners of the A2GO Initiative gathered at the Kerrytown Farmers Market the morning of Oct. 12 to announce the launch of a new autonomous vehicle shuttle service. May Mobility, a start-up at the University and the company that created new shuttle service, is the first autonomous vehicle company to shuttle passengers in Ann Arbor, running from Kerrytown to the south of downtown Ann Arbor. The shuttle fleet consists of four hybrid Lexus SUVs and one wheelchair-accessible vehicle. The service will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday along prescribed routes in downtown Ann Arbor, circling between their 21 designated stops. Each car is supervised by an Autonomous Vehicle Operator sitting in the driver’s seat. The operators are there for safety, manually driving the vehicles around unusual situations, like a double-parked car or making an unprotected left turn across traffic. They also speak with Mobility employees at the Ann Arbor headquarters to report hiccups in the driving experience, like problems on the road or using the app. Edwin Olson, May Mobility CEO and U-M Electrical Engineering and Computer Science professor currently on leave, said at the event that Ann Arbor was a great place for a company like his to grow. Olson said May Mobility’s headquarters in Ann Arbor created more than 20 new jobs with this shuttle service launch since its public announcement in September. “Ann Arbor is a great place to look
for really experienced technicians, as well as people who are just getting started,” Olson said. “The University of Michigan continues to be a real source of talent and partnership for us.” Olson said May Mobility’s partnership with the City of Ann Arbor began long before this week’s launch. The collaboration helped May Mobility determine the service area of their vehicles based on a number of factors, including speed limit, street density and traffic congestion. “We like to do things with cities, not to them,” Olson said. “So, it’s really important to figure out who are the stakeholders (and) how do you make sure that the people who you’re trying to serve are part of the conversation from the very beginning.” Greg McGuire, associate director at MCity — a research center at the University focused on autonomous driving — echoed the need to reflect on the broader implications of autonomous vehicles in Ann Arbor. “We’re interested in the engineering challenges, yes, but I think just as important is their potential societal impact,” McGuire said. “We want to build a better world, (and) learning by doing is a requirement. A2GO helps MCity go from our academic labs at the University to a living lab in the city of Ann Arbor.” Olson spoke of May Mobility’s prioritization of safety first, which aligns with the need for supervised autonomous driving at this time. “Safety is number one, and our second priority is experience for both the people in the car and people around us,” Olson said. “We want to make sure that we’re not holding up traffic or that we’re not being a nuisance to other people going about
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their lives. Then autonomy is third.” Engineering senior Ryan Krawec rode in one of May Mobility’s vehicles on Oct. 12 and said he was not put off by the supervised driving. “”The car drove very human-like, and I couldn’t tell if the driver was driving or if the car was driving,” Krawec said. “When we stopped at a left turn, I asked the driver if he was driving and the driver said he was. But I wasn’t that surprised because I know autonomous vehicles are not fully self-driving yet.” Krawec said he believes autonomous vehicles can reduce the number of fatal car accidents. “I think autonomous vehicles are going to be a great thing for society,” Krawec said. “Right now most car accidents are caused by humans. In the future, if we can eliminate those accidents caused by humans, then we can save lives.” Olson said May Mobility is also concerned with the safety of pedestrians outside of their vehicle. One of their partners, !important Safety Technologies, is an auto collision safety software company whose technology is incorporated into May Mobility’s vehicles. Hannah Osborn, director of New Business Development at !important Safety Technologies, said their software alerts nearby May Mobility vehicles if there is a pedestrian nearby. “People associate phones with distracted driving and distracted walking,” Osborn said. “Let’s turn that around and use it to protect them. With our software, you’re able to turn your phone essentially into a beacon to let others know that you’re there.” However, to alert the vehicle by taking over the brakes, for example, the pedestrian needs to be a user of the
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!important Safety Technologies app, which Osborn said she recognizes is a barrier. “We’re also realistic, so we are partnering with companies that are also in the safety space — for example, insurance companies — and we are incorporating our alerts through their apps where their users have already given permission to be tracked,” Osborn said. Olson said to the crowd at the farmers market that his broader vision of May Mobility is to be environmentally conscious and socially accessible. “If you end up with segmentation in your transportation system, you end up with crappy systems that don’t work well,” Olson said. “I think the key thing is, how do you get everyone to use public transit? … It’s really important to us to figure out how (to) serve all kinds of people.” In preparation for its launch, May Mobility held a contest in September for a “creative, clever and memorable name” for one of their vehicles, with the only rule being that it must start with the letter “M.” Michigan Medicine assistant professor Alecia Daunter won the contest with the name “Mayble,” combining May Mobility with “able” to highlight the desire of her patients with sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities to achieve mobility independence. “The goal is really that people are participating in their communities with their friends and family and they’re able to experience all the same things around the city that anyone else would, using the same technology that everyone else is using,” Daunter said.
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SARAH BOEKE/Daily Fall colors around Nichols Arboretum start to shine through the afternoon of Oct. 14.
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ACADEMICS
UMich faculty experience difficulty with requesting the ability to teach remotely
Some professors, GSIs are frustrated they can’t teach online despite safety concerns EVAN DELORENZO & JUSTIN O’BEIRNE Daily Staff Reporters Instructors across campus are expressing concerns about COVID-19 protocols currently in place despite being told the classroom is “the safest place to be on campus” by University of Michigan administration. Among those concerned is Rackham student Ryan Glauser, co-chair of the Graduate Employees’ Organization’s COVID-19 caucus, who told The Michigan Daily he felt no reassurance in returning to the classroom this semester. “It more pissed (GEO) off because we know of students who are positive (for COVID-19) coming to our classrooms, sitting in class and then leaving,” Glauser said. “We don’t know how (the University) is making (the) assessment (that classrooms are particularly safe), but we know it’s not based off of numbers because they can’t provide them to us when we asked them.” In August, the University announced that they would require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. U-M community members who were granted exemptions are required to get tested weekly. Currently, 96% of students and 88% of staff, including 96% of faculty, are fully vaccinated against COVID19. The University also requires everyone to wear masks in all on-campus buildings regardless of vaccination status. At the start of the fall 2021 semester, COVID-19 cases increased dramatically, by over 100 cases during the first three weeks of classes. By the end of September, the positivity rate on campus dropped to about 0.8% and has remained low. Even with high vaccination rates among students and faculty, Rackham student Erick Aguinaldo, graduate student instructor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, told The Daily on Sept. 30 he has yet to experience a full week without a potential COVID-19 exposure since the beginning of the semester. “I get overwhelmed by emails every week about students who’ve either tested positive for COVID, are showing symptoms or think they might have been exposed,” Aguinaldo said. Aguinaldo said he found it impossible to properly social distance in the classroom, especially without personal protective equipment being supplied by the University. As a result, he decided to teach both of his Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies sections outdoors, weather permitting. “I’ve been teaching outside because of fear of COVID, but to my knowledge, there are not
continuously refilled masks in the classroom,” Aguinaldo said. “From my understanding, (the University’s) masks aren’t great, so I went out of pocket and bought all of my students KN95 masks for their safety and my safety as well.” Aguinaldo also said his students’ mental and physical health remain the top priority in discussion sections, something that is ref lected in how he handles COVID-19 cases. “I’ve been telling students (who tested positive for COVID) to stay at home and that we’ll work things out, which involves them doing the assignments from home,” Aguinaldo said. “I definitely encourage them to rest and focus on their well-being instead of tripping out about the class.” The motivation for these precautions, Aguinaldo said, is his fear of contracting COVID-19 and transmitting it to his tenmonth-old daughter, who is currently ineligible to be vaccinated. “As (the delta variant) continued getting worse, I became more and more hesitant about being in person,” Aguinaldo said. “My daughter’s ten months old right now, so that was a big worry for me.” Echoing Aguinaldo’s concerns, Lydia Kelow-Bennett, professor of Afroamerican and African studies, said she also felt nervous returning to the classroom in case of breakthrough infections that could put her two unvaccinated children at risk. “With unvaccinated children at home, I have had to change the way we relate as a family which has been devastating,” KelowBennet said. “Distancing from my own children seems too much to ask for a job.” For faculty members to teach remotely, they must submit a request through Work Connections, the University’s disability management program. According to University President Mark Schlissel in an email obtained by The Daily, 28 requests for remote teaching were submitted through Work Connections. Of those requests, 20 were denied and 4 were accepted. The Faculty Senate met last week to discuss and ultimately approve five motions, including the University’s COVID-19 protocols and the lack of options for instructors requesting remote teaching. Prior to the meeting, Schlissel wrote in an email to the assembly defending the University’s widespread return to in person learning. Schlissel also said that instructor requests to teach remotely are carefully considered by medical personnel. Schlissel added that “ it is not in Work Connections’ scope to review requests related to the health status of an instructor’s family members or others with whom they reside.” German professor Silke-Maria Weineck, who has been advocat-
ing for faculty with serious preexisting conditions to be given more consideration for remote teaching options, said Work Connections often rejects remote teaching requests for faculty who may be immunocompromised. In an email to The Daily, Weineck said this includes faculty who are currently in chemotherapy or who have lost multiple organs. “Faculty who need to teach remotely due to high vulnerability are directed to Work Connections; a unit that has overwhelmingly declined to validate these requests,” Weineck said. “These colleagues’ own physicians, overwhelmingly UM physicians themselves, have endorsed these requests. … Case managers who are not equipped to evaluate patients are given the power to overrule experts in their field.” For Political Science Professor Deborah Beim, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, the chair of the Political Science Department helped piece together a plan for asynchronous instruction during her quarantine period. Still, Beim said she wishes she had originally prepared a plan in case of a positive test this semester. “(My department chair) helped me put together a plan where I uploaded asynchronous lectures from last year, which allowed me to take a week of rest,” Beim said. “I wish, in retrospect, that I had had a plan that I could just like immediately kick into action.” After testing positive for a breakthrough case early on in the semester, Kelow-Bennett said she immediately canceled her classes but initially could not find anyone to take over instruction while she stayed home and recovered. “My department just really struggled to figure out a way to cover my classes, which is partially about everybody being incredibly stretched thin,” Kelow-Bennett said. “But it’s also about (departments) and the larger University not having plans in place for the fact that professors were going to get sick and be out for extended periods of time.” Once Kelow-Bennett’s quarantine period officially ended, she still felt the lingering symptoms of COVID-19, so much so that she was physically unable to hold a lecture without running out of breath. When Work Connections denied Kelow-Bennett’s request to continue teaching remotely, she said she felt helpless. “I felt disposable when I read that email,” Kelow-Bennett said. “I realized that if all (the University) cares about is that I’m infectious, not the fact that I will pass out either walking to class or talking to students, then that means that there’s no value put on my well-being and my life.”
When GSIs want to opt for remote instruction, Glauser said they are not allowed to use Work Connections and must instead submit both an Americans with Disability Act work request and a Services for Students with Disabilities request. Hoping to teach remotely, Aguinaldo said he sought assistance from his instructor, as well as the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, to switch to a fully virtual format for his discussion sections. Though the department provided Aguinaldo with a lecture hall for his discussion sections to be better able to social distance, he said they ultimately declined his original request to teach over Zoom. “I met with the interim department chair, and they were willing to provide accommodations to make me feel safer, but there’s no way to completely teach online,” Aguinaldo said. “They essentially said, ‘if you refuse to teach in person, then we have to remove you from your position.’” Individual departments at the University are subject to college guidelines concerning teaching format and online instruction requests. After the meeting, Aguinaldo said he left feeling like his voice was not heard and his situation not considered. “I made it pretty clear that I was angry with the way the conversation went and the way consequences were framed,” Aguinaldo said. “I felt like it kind of devalued the safety of my family.” According to Glauser, these feelings of frustration are the general sentiment felt among GSIs whose requests for accommodations have not been met. “I know of at least ten people who have not been able to get accommodations,” Glauser said. “At this very moment, we’re still fighting to get them remote work or extra accommodations for inperson work so that they’re safe.” With the Faculty Senate’s recent passing of the motion advocating for the incorporation of faculty input into the University’s in-person teaching policy, Kelow-Bennett said she hopes University leadership will consider faculty concerns and trust instructors to govern themselves. “This moment is a critical moment for central administration to rethink how they are using their power and to rethink what faculty governance really looks like,” Kelow-Bennett said. “What we need are the f lexibility and the support to be able to make the decisions that we need to make in order for everyone to navigate this pandemic.” Daily Staff Reporters Justin O’Beirne and Evan DeLorenzo can be reached at justinob@umich. edu and evandelo@umich.edu.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2021 — 3
Arts
4 — Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Our first primary source — ‘No One is Talking About This’
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JULIAN WRAY Daily Arts Writer
“Keep reading a little longer, not totally against your will.” So goes the Booker Prize-shortlisted “No One is Talking About This,” the debut novel from poet and memoirist Patricia Lockwood. I’ll cut to the chase: It’s a strange book. The form is stuttering and disjointed. The jokes don’t always land. The prose isn’t exactly prose. The fiction isn’t exactly fiction. And still, the novel is a resounding success. Lockwood captures the moment, vocalizing the boredom and sensory overload of social media. It’s gonzo fiction — the strangeness of our cyborg present, of lives half-lived on a screen, is felt in the form and style of the novel. In “the portal” — a platform analogous to Twitter — a single voice is forming. People are starting to sound too similar. They’re adopting a universal language, quoting each other until an original phrase is a delicacy, another snippet to co-opt. Lockwood’s unnamed protagonist finds fame and an online career after she posts, “Can a dog be twins?” The format of her post is picked up by others, and countless variations spread through the portal until the words no longer belong to her: “Your slice of life cut its cord and multiplied among the people, first nowhere and little and then everywhere and large. No one and everyone. Can a _____ be twins.” Why do writers so often ignore the existence of cell phones in their novels? Why does every transcription of text messages into prose feel so awkward and out of touch? To quote Lockwood, most attempts to describe the internet in fiction have “the strong whiff of old white intellectuals being weird about the blues, with possible boner involvement.” It’s a marvel, then, that Lockwood’s depiction of our curt digital tone feels so natural and so uncomfortably accurate: “(The internet) had also once been the place where you sounded like yourself. Gradually it had become the place where we sounded like each other, through some erosion of wind or water on a self not nearly as firm as stone.”
“The mind we were in was obsessive, perseverant,” Lockwood writes of social media. A prominent presence on Twitter, we’d expect her to understand our current voice. But Lockwood’s portrayal of social media isn’t just well-tuned, it’s journalistic. The novel foregoes a stable plot for the first hundred or so pages, jumping from one topic to the next — an endless scroll of ellipted paragraphs, linked only by their shared presence on the page. The effect is instant and familiar: the breeze of half-watched TikToks, the grainy hike of a long Twitter thread. Fifty pages sneak by before you look up, before you remember the rest of the world. And then you do look up: “Despite everything, the world had not ended yet. What was the reflex that made it catch itself? What was the balance it regained?” At the midpoint, the novel turns into a more conventional story. The protagonist’s sister is pregnant, and her child is born with a rare genetic disorder. Her time is limited, and they know this. They’ll lose her, and they know this. The story to this point has been a stream of shared consciousness, of infinite bullet points from faceless usernames. Our main character was an information junkie with an endless supply, but her niece’s life cannot stretch so far: “All day long she drank in information, but no one was telling them the main thing. No one was telling them how long they would have her, how long the open cloud of her would last.” This is the turn, “the portal, where the entirety of human experience seemed to be represented, and never the shining difference of that face, those eyes, that hair.” Here’s the real story, the love felt in human presence. What’s the value of limitless information if it can be dismissed with a swipe of the thumb? This is where Lockwood achieves something more than an experiment of craft, where the oddity and success of the form rises above curiosity and poignance. This is worth talking about. “No One is Talking About This” will be labeled as cultural critique, but I don’t think there’s such a perverse intention to it. There’s only the honesty of autofiction, of the first primary source from our bleak and side-splitting bell jar. It just might win the Booker Prize. And it just might deserve to.
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Reflections on an ice blue Nintendo DS Lite HARPER KLOTZ Daily Arts Writer
I have a confession to make: I’m not a fan of my birthday. Birthdays are just an excuse for the 20-plus members of my close-knit family to gather together. As grateful as I am, the annual party evokes memories of stares as I sit in the middle of the circle, everyone gauging how appropriate my reaction is to each gift — a nightmare scenario for someone who hates being the center of attention. Despite my distaste for the annual June 22 occasion, there will always be at least one birthday I won’t forget. It was that glorious summer of 2006, when I received my first video game console. I stared, mouth agape, at the warped reflection of my small face in the screen of my brand new ice blue Nintendo DS Lite, not yet knowing how much it would affect my life. Though memories of my childhood are dim, some of the brightest moments I can remember from that year revolve around “Pokémon Diamond.” Looking back, I’m sure my father was annoyed by my constant requests for help beating a game he had no clue how to play, especially while we made the long drive all the way from Michigan to Virginia. The remake of “Pokémon Diamond” releases in November, and I can’t help but recall the kindness my father showed instead of annoyance, and the genuine interest my grandfather had in the monsters that appeared from the virtual grass. Now that I’m a taxpaying adult, I wonder what lengths my mother must have gone to eventually get us a Wii a few years later, when we could barely afford three meals a day. I was nine years old, extremely shy and struggling to connect with my peers at school, but my evenings were spent as the star of the show, beating the high scores of each of my mother’s friends in “Just Dance.” My parents tell me that I was quite the little charmer, offering juice boxes to my father’s guests and standing on counters to change the song on my mother’s speaker as she cooked for everyone she knew. Of course, the cuteness never lasts, but even as I crawled into a shell of fear and awkwardness as I reached middle school, Nintendo was by my side. Throughout my pre-teen years I was glued to my purple 3DS, playing the “Professor Layton” series “Pokémon X” and “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.” Ages 11 to 14 aren’t exactly the most pleasant times of anyone’s life, but those were the years I made my first true best friend, thanks to a mutual love of puzzle games. Sleepovers and recess were spent solving mysteries, debating which starter Pokémon to pick and discussing favorite characters.
This friendship sparked a life-changing realization: I am never the only one like me. Sure, I wasn’t involved in sports or church activities like my classmates, but together my best friend and I could be an unstoppable team in our digital fantasy worlds. Then, one day, my 3DS was gone. Whether it was lost in one of my many moves or at an airport I can’t remember, its absence commenced a nearly decade-long split from gaming. High school was extremely busy. Between three bands, choir, drama club, dual enrollment and attempting to have a social life, I regularly experienced burnout. I was also lured into a habit of constant social media use that had negative effects on both my mental health and time management skills. At the end of the day, I thought I didn’t have time for gaming anymore. I viewed video games as a part of my childhood that I had to sacrifice, and none of my friends were interested in games either, so I went with what was popular. The games I was able to play were games I had seen online that required little to no time commitment. Two years into college, I was in the best mental shape since childhood, falling in love and learning to finally take back my schedule. One of my boyfriend’s biggest hobbies is gaming, and we played “Undertale” together on one of our first dates. He showed me a trailer for “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” and I fell in love with how adorable it looked. Next thing I knew, I had the “Animal Crossing” special edition Switch with a copy of the game “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and something from a familiar franchise — “Pokémon: Sword.” I was thoroughly sucked back into the world of video games thanks to warm, nostalgic childhood memories. It wasn’t exactly a quick descent. I started with a few hours of “Animal Crossing,” which turned into multiple hours a day thanks to quarantine. “Breath of the Wild” didn’t click with me at first, but my boyfriend encouraged me to keep playing. Now it’s one of my favorite games of all time, and it opened my eyes to whole new genres. Of course, there was my first love, “Pokémon,” which I became instantly obsessed with and blasted through before other games even had a chance to enter my mind. As quarantine continued and the world became increasingly virtual, I had the time and energy to delve deeper into gaming.
I’ve branched out into nearly every genre and every console; I earned my first platinum trophies on my PlayStation 5 and invested over 100 hours in games like “Persona 5 Royal” and “Breath of the Wild.” When I listen to my boyfriend talk about his childhood afternoons glued to his GameCube, I think back on my own new experiences with video games and feel closer to him. Over the past two years, I’ve learned something valuable about hobbies. No matter your level of interest, your experience or your amount of investment, life can sometimes get in the way of the things you love. I’ve encountered this with my other hobbies, too; revis-
Design by Maggie Weibe
ing poetry is an endless process, and embroidery takes a lot of patience. However, if you love something, it’s worth trying even when you think you’ve reached an insurmountable obstacle. Losing my 3DS was unfortunate, but what kept me from gaming the most was myself. I turned 21 in June, this time without the fanfare — just my boyfriend and me watching a movie in our apartment. When it was time for gifts, there was a lot to be thankful for, but there was one present I’ll never forget. When I unwrapped a perfect little ice blue DS Lite, complete with some of my favorite games in-box, memories of the past 15 years filled my mind. I held it, noticing how big my hands had gotten, how different the reflection of my face was in the screen, and I found myself tearing up. I can’t imagine a future now without gaming. It’s my biggest hobby and one of my favorite ways to connect with others. Four years ago, I never would have guessed that I’d be writing about games for The Michigan Daily. As graduation approaches and the only thing I’ve known for the past 16 years comes to a close, I can finally see links that have helped me along the way. I started my school career with video games being a big part of my life, and as I earn my degree and this chapter ends, I can happily say I never plan on letting them go again.
Frights, Camera, Action: ‘Halloweentown’ EMMA CHANG Daily Arts Writer
The first installment of the Halloweentown series premiered on Disney Channel on Oct. 17, 1998. I still had a month left before leaving the comfort of my mother’s womb. On Oct. 12, 2001, “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge” premiered. At two-going-on-three, I had yet to enter my Disney phase, and I was honestly more preoccupied with my newfound sisterhood thrust upon me six days prior. Fast forward to 2004: On Oct. 8, “Halloweentown High” premieres, and Lucas Grabeel (“High School Musical”) is making a name for himself on the Disney circuit before his debut as the beloved Ryan Evans. Meanwhile, I started kindergarten. Finally, “Return to Halloweentown” came, and the surprising recast of our beloved Marnie. While 7-year-old me might not have
understood the Hollywood politics behind trading Kimberly J. Brown (“Bringing Down the House”) for Sara Paxton (“Aquamarine”), I was only happy to ignore the continuity issues and, to this day, choose to believe that Marnie dyed her hair and got some work done before she went to college. After all, don’t we all deserve a chance to reinvent ourselves in the final film of our franchise? What’s most surprising about “Halloweentown,” outside of the skeleton casually driving a taxi, is how ingrained it is into my youth. Every year since my childhood infatuation with Disney began (in 2006 with the introduction of the beloved “Hannah Montana”), I have watched the “Halloweentown” films with absolutely no hipster irony driving my inevitable enjoyment of a Hauntoberfest movie marathon. It’s completely understandable why “Halloweentown” has remained a staple in the Disney Channel Original Movie Hal-
loween lineup. The franchise offers 5.5 total hours of runtime, with each film lasting a little under 80 minutes, and a litany of Halloween-themed television events meant to entice kids into watching cable television instead of streaming the latest Hulu series. Consider, maybe, playing a “Halloweentown” film four days out of the week, leading up to a marathon of a new Halloween episode of your favorite wacky sitcoms on Friday. Or what about on Halloween itself: All four movies playing in the background as you and your friends put the final touches on your group costume (all the BTS members, complete with wigs and the best K-Pop merchandise). Clearly, “Halloweentown” and its sequels have and will continue to offer serious commercial value to Disney Channel, propping up its status as one of the premiere Halloween DCOMs. The film’s financial promise, though, is not the only reason we see it play every
year come October; the nostalgia of “Halloweentown” only serves to enhance its staying power. On a laptop’s screen, the film is grainy, and the vintage hues create a warmth that only the ’90s can invoke. As a kid, I was entranced by the idea of ogres and goblins and witches and warlocks and adventure, and now? I long for the years where my only worries were why I hadn’t encountered any ghosts floating outside of school, trying to get an important message to me. “Halloweentown” also riffs on the age-old belief that the barrier between the mortal and whatever lies beyond is weakest on Halloween. In the case of classic family-friendly entertainment, this means All Hallows’ Eve is the one night a year when a portal between Halloweentown and the mortal world opens and the Cromwell-Piper children can see their witchy (in the most literal sense of the word) grandma (Debbie Reynolds, “Singin’ in the Rain”).
Once “Halloweentown” establishes Marnie and her siblings as witches, the next three films take on the ever-interesting question of what happens when you give a 15-year-old girl magical powers. Will she tell the cute boy from school about her newfound identity in hopes that he’ll notice her? Or broach the centurieslong rift between the mortal world and the human world by telling everyone to just be friends? Or will she be the key to unlocking a power that could destroy the world as we know it? The answer to all these scenarios, of course, is yes. “Halloweentown” showcases Marnie as the kind of well-wishing, earnest and just a little bit sassy main character that Disney favors in all its creative endeavors. As one of the quintessential Halloween films of our generation, the Halloweentown franchise offers the mid-October hug of fall nostalgia we all need when the weather starts turning, midterms are looming and Halloween costume ideas are brewing.
The Mersey Beatles: Live at The Ark MADELEINE VIRGINIA GANNON Daily Arts Writer
All you need is love, and maybe a dose of the Mersey Beatles, too. Live at The Ark, Liverpool’s Mersey Beatles, a Beatles tribute band, brought down the house with a twoset performance of the Beatles’s numberone hits. Referring to themselves as John, Paul, George and Ringo, the Mersey Beatles stayed true to their idols’ roots. The show was part of their 2021-2022 world tour, including appearances across the Midwest and Southern states. What sets the Mersey Beatles apart from other covers or tribute bands is their dedication to Beatles nostalgia. The concert was structured by era. First, the rock n’ roll hits of the ’50s were accompanied by buttoned suits and Beatle-bob haircuts. The second set opened with neon Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club costumes (shoulder tassels included), and the third paid tribute to John’s
’70s hair, George’s striped pants and Ringo’s yellow ruffled blouse. Between meticulous outfit changes, the band switched from ensemble hits to more intimate, one-off solos, including a memorable sing-along to “Here Comes the Sun,” led by the Mersey Beatles’s
George Harrison. The Ark is perfect for a cozy concert experience. Seating 400 with benches and tables only a stone’s throw from the stage, Ann Arbor’s beloved music club offers an ideal concert experience: beer and popcorn, plush
This image is from the official Mersey Beatles website.
seating and no raging crowds. More than that, it’s one of those special spaces where old-time music fans and Ann Arbor’s younger crowd come together to share the live music experience. This writer may have been born after the original Beatlemania, but even I know that the Beatles shouldn’t be experienced sitting down. By the time the lights dimmed and the crowd quieted down, we were up and dancing and twisting the night away. Balancing beer in one hand, popcorn in the other, the Arts writers of The Daily danced through the first set. Nine 20-somethings in a sea of imposing Beatles veterans, we danced with the kind of wild abandon that only emerges from a mix of embarrassment and daring joy. Surveying an exuberant but still seated audience, Paul called out, “Where are our dancers?” Boldly we responded, “Over here!” Jiving on a 2-by-4 corner of precious real estate, tucked away — but not for long. “Twist and Shout” and “I Saw Her Standing There” played back-to-back on the close-
out of the first set. We went wild. Slinking across the room, never losing the beat, we migrated to John and Ringo’s half of the stage. One then two older couples stepped up to join in our revelry. They put our dance moves to shame while we furiously took notes. The night ended with a two-song encore, the entire audience finally on their feet. Euphoric from our blast to the past, the motley dancing crew traded the twist for college-style moshing — all to the finale of “Get Back.” In the ringing applause, we gave a salute to our fellow dancing partners. A single, bold attempt was made to entice the Mersey Beatles to sample the fine dining of Fleetwood Diner. Maybe next time, George. Make the Mersey Beatles your next live show — and if you go, don’t be afraid to get up and dance. While their tour will eventually take them back across the pond, here’s to hoping they “get back to where you once belonged” — on stage at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Michigan in Color
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 — 5
God the Faggot KARIS CLARK MiC Columnist
In the Year of Our Lord 2014, I celebrated my golden birthday, turning 13 on March 13. And sure enough, the Pisces male, middle school version of myself was as emotionally charged, creatively centered and idiosyncratically idealistic as I am now. Yet, a corrosive force, turning what was supposed to be a goldplated pubescent period into a rusty era of remorse, stemmed from the staggering realization I had that year as an increasing awareness of my social identities became ironed into my subconscious. The mainstream media’s fervent fixation on Ferguson with the murder of Mike Brown propelled this force into motion, prompting a prominent newfound perception of my own racialized identity as a Black male in (what I would soon learn to be) the settler-colonial police-state of America. But if this glass-shattering, innocence-apprehending awakening wasn’t enough to fuel the anxious adolescent fire inside of me, the subsequent suspicion, scrutinization and speculation of my sexuality in the seventh grade was. It was then that homophobia and anti-Black racism alchemized in antagonistic fashion, manifesting as a menacing mixture that meddled not only in my middle-school years but beyond. The traumas troubling my life trickle down to the marginalization of these two identities, which are exacerbated by my working-class status and deepened by the damning forces of capital which control our culture. When I was 15, phrases like “faggot” and “queer” were hurled at me on the regular — all before I had figured out what my sexuality even was. Of course, this “figuring out” and my capacity to inquire about my own queerness was complicated by my mutable relationship with religion, having grown up in a conservative Black Christian church. Reconciling my faith with my ever-changing sexuality has been, undeniably, the most challenging tribulation of my life. When your devotion to the divine is dampened by dominating ideologies of the time, how else do you ensure that your modes of metaphysical and spiritual sustainment aren’t stifled? Perhaps it’s my predetermined Pisces characteristics perpetuating my compulsivity. But in light of these painful predicaments, I’ve become fascinated with learning about different faiths and the rich complexities and insights that various worldly religions have to offer and seek to answer. If there is a silver lining to my suffering, then it’s to be found in the drive I’ve developed over time to discern the real from the fake, fact from fiction and truth from non-truth. The interplay of sexuality and religion is severely complicated by notions of gender. In pre-patriarchal society, the divine was depicted as feminine, with the female God being an ancillary function of the Paleolithic and Neolithic era. In “The Great Cosmic Mother,” radical eco-feminist author Monica Sjöö describes ancient societies around the globe as advanced matrifocal cultures built on equality and kinship as opposed to dominance. In this period of time — from the Dahomey and Ashanti peoples of West Afrika all the way to the indigenous Pueblo peoples of America — the primacy of the mother was an essential element.
By the Bronze Age, however, Sjöö asserts that the Great Mother was demoted in status as the “remains of a revolution shift from dominant female gods of Neolithic village to organizing and controlling male gods of the literate city.” Many of us are familiar with the famous Sumerian religious text, “The Epic of Gilgamesh” an epic that influenced religious myths and narratives within the Hebrew Bible. Sjöö distinguishes both this piece of Mesopotamian mythology and the Old Testament scriptures as a reactionary response to the Goddesscentered religions preceding it. She claims that much like the patriarchy, the emerging malecentered religions effectively “split material production from spiritual experience, science from magic, medicine from herbal knowledge and psychic/seasonal environment, sexuality from the sacred, art from craft, astronomy from astrology, language from poetry — and to place the resultant ‘specialized,’ abstracted, and mechanistic knowledge in the hands of a privilege male elite organized into professions, hierarchies, and classes.” This split and separation has been a sustaining characteristic in all major worldly religions, including but not limited to the Judeo-Christian-Islamic faiths, Hinduism and Buddhism. Obviously, one does not have to look very far or very meticulously to see this unfortunate reality. The holy texts of today are tainted with a patriarchal positioning that has subjugated women around the world for thousands of years. And this construction of an oppressive male-centered society has had damning effects for sexuality as well. Sjöö ascribes the Hebrew Bible’s heterosexism as “an attack on all shamanistic ecstatic religion, against the bisexual image, theory, and practice of the Great Goddess.” Her elucidation reminds us that holy texts don’t exist in vacuums, and are drastically informed and curated by the material and historical conditions of the era. Yet, these are the same texts which play a profound role in the lives of many around the globe. How do we harmonize the holy aspects with the harmful? Is there still a Truth to be found in these faiths? Is there a Devil or divinity to be found within the details? Attempts to answer these questions lie not only in the hands of hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) but in our conception of divine revelation. Biblical scripture, for instance, has the capacity to be interpreted from a literal, moral, allegorical and anagogical perspective. These differing angles of approach produce an infinity of interpretations, allowing us to arrive at an infinity of outcomes. This becomes even more complicated when we consider the dialectics of distanciation especially in relation to the written word. In this literary context, distanciation refers to the concept that the writer of any text is “blind” to not only the readers of their work but also the context that their work will be read in. They are “blind” in the sense that the separation of the writer and reader, as well as the reader and the world of the text, fundamentally blurs the writer’s intention and reader’s interpretation. This blindness allows for what French hermeneutic philosopher Paul Ricœur — a key crafter of the distanciation concept — refers to as a “surplus of meaning” to be amassed. As you can imagine, this article alone would evoke an infinitude in understanding, comprehension and interpretation for anyone who stumbles across it. We can only imagine,
then, the immensity as to which any one individual relates to a religious text. In writing, we emulate the enigmatic enterprise of our own Creator to effectively communicate the complexities of existence without exterminating the free will of creation. In this same vein, divine revelation (the reveal of a celestial Creator to creation) carries with it an abundance of perspectives as well, which can complicate our relation to religion even further. Notably, Swiss theologian Karl Barth’s notion of a conception of revelation in which he argues that while having the capacity to express the revelation of the divine, human constructions, such as scripture and the written word, cannot be a divine revelation in itself due to the fact they are mediated through fallible mortal concepts such as language. Yet, nonetheless, Barth believed there is Truth to be found in what he labeled as the “Subject Reality of Revelation.’ Like him, I, too, believe wholeheartedly in the outstanding capacity of our Creator to use us as vessels of disclosure and divulgence. After all, through the arts and writing, especially, we often find ourselves able to communicate to and construct knowledge within others that we might not even be privy to ourselves. As Black theologian James Cone clarifies in his seminal text, “Black Theology and Black Power,” “the Work of Spirit is not always a conscious activity on the part of the persons through whom God works.” In the Biblical scriptures there exists a labyrinthine nexus of Truth and knowledge to be ascertained above that which the original writers even intended. Moreover, many of these Judeo-Christian-Islamic religious myths and narratives are what queer theologian Elizabeth Stuart refers to as “parodies” of “extended repetition with critical distance, improvising on a theme [with] non-identical repetition, freshly embodied on new context.” Much like Marxist theory espouses the notion of retaining the old within that which is new, we can still discover the liberatory essence of the Cosmic Mother and the matriarchal mantras of pre-patriarchal society in our current holy text. Systematic theologian Patrick Cheng and feminist and queer theologian Marcella Althaus-Reid both do exactly this by putting forth theologies of liberation focused around this feat. In Cheng’s book “Radical Love” he advances a doctrine of queer theology stemming from classical doctrines around (the Biblical) God. He claims that the doctrine of the Trinity, which posits God as the begetter (The Father), the begotten (the Son) and the procession (of the Holy Spirit), which through radical love establishes a dissolution of self and other, of knowing and unknowing and of flesh and spirit. This dissolving of dualisms gives rise to a God that “transcends gender,” encompassing supra masculinity and super femininity. In this vein, God is a relational God, not operating outside, but with/in us. Along these lines, Cheng characterizes Jesus Christ as the embodiment of this radical love, exemplified through the crossing of the divine into the human realm and then back into the divine realm. Additionally, Cheng queers Christ in a multitude of ways. Beyond the androgynous imagery Christ is commonly depicted with, Cheng cites his transgression of societal norms, homosocial relationships with disciples (and loving relationship with Lazarus) and bio-
Design by Tessa Voytovich
logical intersexuality (Mary’s immaculate conception being devoid of a Y chromosome makes Christ chromosomally female while phenotypically male) as evidence. He goes on to liken the scapegoating of Christ in the crucifixion with the scapegoating of queer people in society. Reid elaborates on this queer-coded Christ even further. To Althaus-Reid, queerness is not an “oddity” or even a sexual/gender identity, but instead a zone of possibility, potentiality and the essence of a denied reality. In her seminal text, “Indecent Theology” she inserts the notion of a “Bi/Christ” which refers not to sexual relations but ways of relating and thinking beyond binary. Over time, my own bisexuality has granted me the fortune of experiencing the world outside of the gay-straight dichotomy, which has, in turn, prompted me to perceive of reality along nondualistic lines. Christ, while deliberately walking in community with proclaimed “sinners and prostitutes” did so with an unfettered fluidity eschewing false dichotomies. The Virgin Mary also experiences an “indecenting” or “queering” under liberation theology. No longer a representation of repressive Marianismo and anti-sexual celibacy rhetoric, Mary instead in Althaus-Reid’s eyes undergoes a divinization through “spiritual clitoridectomy” and becomes a bearer (through the bearing of the Begotten son) of radical love. These interpretations, from a hermeneutic lens, as divinity scholar Hannah Hofheinz describes, are creative interpretations which “create new liberative possibili[ities] by embodying knowledge as praxis within communities of struggle.” Furthermore, these queerings are important because they allow us to deconstruct the compulsory heterosexuality that has been so vigorously confounded into our culture. Althaus-Reid describes “heterosexuality” as originating within a pathological patriarchy operating through coercion and violence. Sjöö describes rigid heterosexuality as a mental and physical limitation, stating that “it is as if on all levels of our being we are split in half — locked into one half, and forbidden the other … split against ourselves and against the self in the other by this moralistic opposition of natural polarities in the very depths of our souls.” She claims that this causes war and alienation as cisheteropatriarchy on behalf of capital continues to construct barriers and boundaries. If we have any chance of moving forward in our liberation efforts, we need to be cognizant of these constructions and the ways in which organized, institutionalized religion in their capitalistic efforts attempt to exacerbate them. Today, radical interpretations of Biblical
scriptures are becoming increasingly common as more and more people begin to reconcile religion with their sexuality.* “The Queer Bible Commentary,” for example, is an 800+ page work providing an interpretative queer lens of every book in the Bible, and is just one of the many works seeking to unravel and resolve what Cheng describes as the typical “texts of terror” which supposedly condemn queer peoples to an eschatological fate of fire and eternal damnation. Beyond Biblical scripture, we should be interested in locating the righteousness in revelation of all worldly religions and holy texts. However, we should do so with a discernment between historic literalism and mythic-symbolic interpretation, which Sjöö points out is often difficult to distinguish. Nonetheless, what we derive from the divine texts of our time is mostly ours for the making and taking. In the context of the Trinity, the queering Christ is a queering of God, as our Creator. If this is hard for you to re-imagine, consider how much we’ve constructed a mainstream conception of God as male, heterosexual and historically white. Indeed, as Althaus-Reid states, “To say ‘God the Faggot’ is to claim not only a sexuality which has been marginalised and ridiculed, but a different epistemology and also a challenge to positively appropriate a word which has been used with contempt to humiliate people.” In the Year of Our Lord 2021, I still struggle to make this reclamation without reservation. Yet, in the midst of my misfortune, I remind myself that this struggle, much like the religious myths of the Cosmic Goddesses of Creation, is a collective, universal and transformative one. And along those same liberatory lines, I know now, seven years after my Golden birthday, that if all else fails, I can rely on what I learned in Sunday School seven years prior; the Golden rule — a principle permeating in nearly all worldly religions — reigns supreme: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ – Galatians 5:14.” Further Reading: “The Great Cosmic Mother” by Monica Sjöö “Indecent Theology” by Marcella AlthausReid “Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology” by Patrick Cheng “Black Theology and Black Power” by James Cone “Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection” by James B. Nelson “The Queer Bible Commentary” by Deryn Guest “Queer Theology: Rethinking the Western Body” by Gerard Loughlin
Why vaccinate? EASHETA SHAH MiC Columnist
According to the regularly updated University of Michigan COVID-19 Data, 96% of students and 88% of the employees at the University have been fully vaccinated, as of Oct. 12. These seem like pretty solid numbers, and they are, considering the University’s arguably inadequate COVID-19 health guidelines like the no mask mandate at football games and the decision to end COVID-19 classroom notifications. However, if we were to examine the vaccination rates across all of Washtenaw County, only 65.3% of residents are fully vaccinated. At the state level, only 58.7% of the population is fully vaccinated. Across the country, as of now, only 57% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. For reference, that’s roughly 70 million people in the United States still unvaccinated, giving plenty of opportunity for the COVID-19 virus and its deadly variants to infect and transmit throughout the population. Non-vaccination seems like a very complacent response to the adverse outcomes of the pandemic, but it’s not surprising or new that individuals are hesitant to receive the vaccine. While many shame this view as a politically charged, ill-informed opinion, vaccine hesitancy is an understandable symptom of public distrust in scientific institutions and government intensified by chronic inaccessibility to quality and transparent health care. As defined by the World Health Organization, vaccine hesitancy is the “delayed acceptance or refusal of the vaccine despite availability to service,” and this has been a recurring sentiment from the invention of the first smallpox vaccine to child immunization today. Amid the panic and anxiety of a pandemic, it is easy to overlook the strides public health has made in infectious disease control through vaccinations. Still, we must remember, it is because of vaccines that we have eradicated 14 diseases otherwise dangerously prevalent in the United States, as
identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though the Food and Drug Administration’s approval for booster shots and pediatric doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are underway, hesitancy persists as a threat to immunization for extremely susceptible populations — from the 5 to 11-year-old population who may receive the vaccine for the first time to high-risk individuals who may benefit from boosters. Vaccination is important, and in the age of the unpredictable coronavirus and rampant misinformation, it’s even more important to know why. Successful vaccination campaigns have led to disease eradication because of something called herd immunity. Herd immunity is a theoretical threshold of fidelity wherein a percentage of the population becomes immune to disease, significantly reducing the chance of disease spread. This percentage ranges from 70% to 90%, depending on the infectiousness of the disease. Herd immunity results in protection for the whole population, or “herd,” even for those who are not or cannot become immune, and it is achieved by either natural infection or vaccines. While natural infection will induce immunity once we actually get infected to the point of illness and complications, vaccines create preventative immunity without making us terribly sick. Vaccines work to stimulate the immune system by mimicking infection. They introduce weakened or dead antigens — the things that cause disease — to the body to induce an immune response and produce antibodies. Antibodies are molecules that remember specific antigens and fight them, so we don’t get sick. In the case of COVID-19 vaccines, activation of this immune response relies on the injection of viral genetic material which serves as a blueprint for our cells to make harmless viral proteins. By safely exposing us to the very thing that causes disease in a harmless, yet necessary dose, vaccines are essential in preventing us from severe disease and death.
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Opinion
6 — Wednesday, October 20, 2021
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High income countries should invest in equal global COVID-19 vaccine distribution LIZZY PEPPERCORN Opinion Columnist
W
ith more than 50% of all COVID-19 vaccines produced so far being purchased by a small group of highincome countries (HICs), many of the world’s poorest countries with developing economies will have less than a fifth of their population vaccinated by the end of 2021. An International Chamber of Commerce study determined that the unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will cost between $1.8 trillion and $3.8 trillion globally, while vaccinating the most vulnerable fifth of the world’s population, covering health care workers and the elderly, would cost less than $40 billion. Vaccinating everyone on earth would therefore cost less than $200 billion. Further, over 50% of the cost of not vaccinating everyone would be paid for by HICs due to decreases in trade with developing economies. While bilateral agreements have resulted in HICs receiving the majority of COVID-19 vaccine doses, it is in the best economic interest of HICs to support COVID-19 vaccine distribution in developing nations. High vaccination rates in only HICs will not engender a successful economic recovery, as HICs depend on developing countries for what economists call intermediate goods, goods that are used in the process
of production, and as a market for exports and cheap imports. If developing countries face decreases in production and consumption due to COVID-19 illness and restrictions, HICs will also face negative economic effects. In a world of globalization and world trade, the vaccine must be distributed at an affordable price and in a way that maximizes global public health if developed countries expect to make a robust economic recovery. Economists often use costbenefit analyses to determine the most efficient course of action. The predicted costs to HICs of unbalanced distribution are much higher than the costs of investing in equal vaccine distribution. Vaccinations benefit more than just the individual who is vaccinated because they lower the rate of transmission for others as well as protect the individual from the virus. This cost-benefit analysis of an investment in COVID-19 vaccine distribution emphasizes the benefits of supporting vaccine distribution in developing countries. It is reasonable to expect HICs to prioritize vaccinating their own citizens first. However, even if HICs receive the first doses, their investment in increasing vaccine production and distribution in developing countries still results in a positive outcome for developing nations because vaccines will be produced faster and can then be distributed faster and more fairly. HICs have made bilateral agreements
It’s time to talk about the uncertainty of the recruitment process SAM WOITESHEK Opinion Columnist
BRITTANY BOWMAN
ELIZABETH COOK AND JOEL WEINER
CLAIRE HAO
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
with vaccine manufacturers that prioritizes wealthy nations in vaccine access, threatening global herd immunity and a return of international economic activity. To maximize total social benefit globally and minimize costs, HICs should make bilateral agreements that also benefit developing countries. For example, when investment accelerates the quantity and speed of production, this benefits both wealthy nations and other nations. Similarly, increased optionality can result from bilateral deals that identify backup options which also benefit the entire global population. HICs can also invest in efforts such as The COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, which works towards rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. When HICs invest in COVAX they make an upfront payment to support vaccine production in return for enough vaccines for 10-50% of their population. The more HICs that participate, the less risky the investment is because the more likely COVAX is to succeed in producing enough vaccines. HICs can decrease their total costs and maximize the total social benefit by promoting the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines through financially supporting COVAX’s efforts and by making bilateral deals that will ultimately benefit developed countries.
E
ach day, as I walk into the Ross School of Business, I face a similar scene. Upperclassmen, running around in suits like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to locate any source of a potential career gain: peers, faculty, recruiters or a “professional” cup of Starbucks coffee. For juniors, there is no better time than the present to start recruiting. For sophomores, they’re watching the clock gradually tick down to their moment. As a second-year business student, I constantly feel pressure to figure out my future path. I feel as though I have big-picture ideas and options — business, law school, sports management — but no real concrete plan for how to attain them. Thus, I am embarrassed when I listen to my friends talk about their upcoming summer plans or the millionth career fair they attended. I’ve acquired an urgency to throw myself into career preparation. Except, the truth is that I have no idea what I’m doing. I created a LinkedIn and am diligent about updating my resume, but I know that isn’t enough. I always apply for the mentorship programs within the clubs I am a part of, hoping (albeit idealistically) that I will be assigned the right person and network my way to success. But the more advice I seek, the more disappointed I become in learning that there is no one way to approach the recruiting cycle. Or, as my peers and mentors have said, “it just kinda happens.”
There are a few statistics that may motivate your recruiting process: since 2013, at least 60% of students in their graduating class have completed an internship during their time in college. Just over 70% of employers end up offering their interns full-time positions. Furthermore, students who completed an internship are 15% less likely to be unemployed after graduation. Sounds pretty good, right? Maybe not as much as we think. Eighty-three percent of students reported that “it’s difficult to tell which companies are actively hiring” and another 74% said “companies (they are) applying to seem unresponsive” to their applications. Moreover, 72% said that the “stress and uncertainty from COVID-19” has made their job search “even more difficult to navigate.” While it’s true that these claims are just numbers, there is something to be said about the ambiguity of recruiting. The theory that one person’s process is different from another person’s makes the unknown feel somewhat ominous. Worse yet, there is no definitive way to shake that interpretation until you receive an offer. Thus, it is rather easy to become stressed about something that will eventually define the majority of your life — especially when it feels like everyone around you has their plans figured out. I’m waiting for the “aha” moment, the invisible lightbulb to pop up above my head to tell me what I’m doing and where I’m going after graduation. Except what no one tells me is that I have to generate the power to light it. In my case, I feel foolish that I
haven’t narrowed my options. Part of me just wants to spin a wheel and let it decide my major, internship and career; it would be a lot less of a hassle. However, I know that if I am not careful and deliberate in my reasoning, I am less likely to be happy 15 years from now. For me, an internal conflict has arisen between immediate and long-term satisfaction. While I know the latter is infinitely more beneficial, it’s hard to ignore the former when you’re surrounded by the grind of internship recruitment every day. In an already competitive environment, amplified by the pandemic, I sense I am not the only one searching for answers. According to CNBC, the best practices to alleviate perpetual career uncertainty are to network, use social media to your advantage and learn new skills. Sadly, telling us what is often considered self-explanatory doesn’t really make us feel any better. So, I’m working to embrace my situation. I’m normalizing not knowing exactly what I want down to every minute detail. I’m focusing on schoolwork, clubs and cherishing time with people I enjoy — also sometimes known as savoring the college experience. I am tired of everyone looking past the current moment and accelerating into the future. I am not pushing aside recruiting; it’s important to build the foundation for your career while pursuing a degree, and at some point, I am going to prepare myself in hopes of securing an internship. For now, though, I’m not going to force anything, and that’s okay. I shouldn’t have to.
DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily
Humans, it is time to promote the equality of consideration for animals PALAK SRIVASTAVA Opinion Columnist
O
ne of the most interesting classes that I’m taking this semester is Philosophy 355, which covers the philosophy of contemporary moral problems. The topic of discussion for this past week’s class has been NYU philosophy professor Peter Singer’s piece “All Animals are Equal” — the thesis is self-explanatory. I think my love for animals is pretty average in that I will stop to ogle a corgi as it walks by, but I am not currently in the practice of chatting with squirrels in the park. In other words, I’d say that my sentiments towards animals are pretty representative of most people, but Singer’s paper still managed to
change my outlook on the topic. When considering why eating meat is accepted by the majority of society, there is one main reason that emerges: Non-human animals are not seen as very valuable to society. Though a bit harsh of a justification, it is a rational thought process — and one that I, too, shared. But the integral question that Singer prompts is: how do we define equality? For humans, if we defined equality by monetary value or intelligence, then it wouldn’t actually be equality. In order for us to all be completely equal, there can be no attributes that increase or decrease worth, since
the second you add those attributes, we cease to be equal. If we strip equality of being defined by monetary value or intelligence,
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rights, but Singer does make a compelling case for their right to the equality of consideration; i.e, at the very least, their suffering is something that deserves consideration. Having showcased the inherent flaws in the natural human attitude towards non-human animals, it is time to talk about animal testing. The fact that animal testing is not illegal yet is in itself quite shocking, but what’s even more surprising is the University Design by Frances Ahrens of Michigan’s involvement. there is no distinguishing factor For some context, the University that earns humans the right to be offers the Undergraduate Research equal. I’m not saying that we need Opportunity Program (UROP). One to be advocating for animals’ voting of the projects that this program
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conducted from 2010-2014 is titled “Modulation of Pulmonary Defenses in Pathobiology of Chronic Infections.” Essentially, the project entailed injecting mice with the bacteria cryptococcus to observe how the mice reacted and how the bacteria affected the body. The eventual goal of the research was to test the relationship between bacteria and antibiotics to ultimately find a healthy balance. It is important to note that the bacteria can be lethal and that in previous experiments, it caused half of the mice to die within 20 days. Though many may find this research completely justified in the name of science, the death toll of these mice does prompt some worry when considering its broader implications.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 — 7
Michigan manages mistakes in comeback victory over Minnesota State CONNOR EAREGOOD
Daily Sports Writer
With the score tied at two apiece and the clock dwindling, the Michigan hockey team transitioned out of its defensive end with speed. As sophomore forward Thomas Bordeleau cradled the puck, Minnesota State defenseman Benton Maase tried to lift his stick, with both of them angling towards the boards. Using his body to block the defense, Bordeleau gained one step, two step, then passed the puck into the wheelhouse of sophomore forward Brendan Brisson. With a snappy one-timer, Brisson turned a momentary lapse by Maase into the game-winning goal. “(Bordeleau’s) a really smart, cerebral offensive player,” Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. “You could see that all the way and that’s a big time play … by both those guys.” Minor mistakes like Maase’s would go unnoticed against most teams, but there was little breathing room between two of the nation’s top teams. In a clash of skilled teams, the Wolverines’ fate hinged on how they managed those opportunities — both their own and those of the Mavericks. Michigan made mistakes early on in the form of unforced penalties, which negated many of its rushes. From a call on sophomore defenseman Owen Power for indirect contact to the head, to a tripping call on senior forward Jimmy Lambert, the Wolverines shot themselves in the foot when they mounted quality attacks. Michigan handled these kills well by keeping its structure and cutting off passing lanes, but those shorthanded minutes also gave the Mavericks plenty of time with the puck. That limited the Wolverines’ scoring opportunities and it allowed Minnesota State to keep Michigan’s high-power offense far away from its goal. The Mavericks also gleaned a goal off of a hooking penalty by senior forward Jimmy Lambert. Minnesota
State defenseman Akito Hirose pinched along the boards to extend his team’s attack after a clear from senior defenseman Nick Blankenburg. Soon after, Hirose fired the puck on net and his rebound met the Mavericks’ forward Ryan Sandelin for a goal. “It hit my skate and then he was able to get the shot off,” Blankenburg said. “So I think in general, we’ve just got to be harder on pucks and harder to play against up front, especially against teams who work so hard.” That kind of play wouldn’t stand out much against weaker teams, but it gave Minnesota State time to regain its attack and get a lead heading into the second intermission. Michigan realized it couldn’t afford to make further mistakes, and it tightened up its game accordingly in the next period. But the Wolverines’ performance didn’t just revolve around mitigating their own gaffes. In such a close contest, they also took plenty of shots off of mistakes by the Mavericks. Small shifts in positioning led to big results for the Wolverines as open skaters generated offense. On Thomas Bordeleau’s game-tying goal four minutes into the third, he cycled the puck to freshman defenseman Jacob Truscott on the point and skated unnoticed to the left side of the Mavericks goaltender Dryden McKay, where he would tip the puck into the net for Minnesota State’s defense played well in their own end, winning back the puck with ease for the better part of the game. However, positioning errors like the Bordeleau goal and poorly timed plays like the Maase stick lift gave Michigan a window to grab a close win. That’s nothing new after the Wolverines’ win on Friday, but the pressure of a close score exacerbated every mistake. Whoever blinked first could dictate the game winner, and that energy radiated through every decision both teams made. Michigan played a game in which tiny errors led to some of its biggest moments. If the Wolverines benefit off those tiny errors like they did Saturday, that bodes well for a team that just grabbed both the Ice Breaker trophy and national attention.
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily Michigan senior defenseman Nick Blankenburg navigated his team to take advantage of opponents’ mistakes.
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily Senior defenseman Nick Blankenburg received a high hit in the first period that ignited a spirited Michigan.
Major penalty provides spark in Ice Breaker semifinals NICK MOEN
Daily Sports Writer
Scraping for control, Michigan struggled with Minnesota-Duluth’s offense early on. The Bulldogs kept the puck all over the ice, and the Wolverines couldn’t force it away from them. That all changed with five minutes left in the first period. The puck nowhere in sight, senior defenseman Nick Blankenburg took a massive strike to the head as Duluth forward Noah Cates rammed an elbow up high into Blankenburg. The Bulldogs earned a major penalty and Cates was thrown out of the game. Before the hit, Duluth dominated. That all came to a halt when Blankenburg fell to the ice, and Michigan would go on to win, 5-1. Unclipping his helmet and failing to stand up straight, the captain’s game seemed to be over. “Nick is a really strong kid,” senior forward Garrett Van Wyhe said. “After that hit it woke us up because we were f lat footed in the first 10. Seeing his determination to
get back out there really got us going.” The Wolverines looked to capitalize on the power play and avenge Blankenburg’s strike. With an opportunity to change the trajectory of the game, Michigan needed to take full advantage. With 40 seconds left on the clock, freshman defenseman Luke Hughes found the puck wide left of the goal, tying the game 1-1. Michigan tied the game, but in that moment found a sense of resolve. The hit turned the game around. “They took a major penalty which was a turning point in the game,” Michigan coach Mel Peason said. “We scored there. To get the first one was huge and then we took over the game in the second period.” The Wolverines went on to outshoot the Bulldogs 30-11 in the second period. Michigan scored midway through the second period through sophomore forward Brendan Brisson. By then the Wolverines had the game firmly in their grasp as Van Wyhe and sophomore forward Matty Beniers each scored. Duluth, on the other hand,
couldn’t take advantage of their own power plays, going 0-for-4 as Michigan embraced a gritty mentality. Should Blankenburg have reacted differently, that all could have ended differently. In a situation where most players would retaliate against the Bulldogs, Blankenburg’s experience showed. He got back on the ice and played his role. “You get your emotions going in the games, but Blankenburg is as tough as they come,” Pearson said. “He wanted to go out and I wanted to make sure we sat him for a shift or two … he’s a competitor, a warrior and you want him on your team.” The captain proved his grit on the night. Returning to the ice after the hit, Blankenburg led the charge and made clean passes tape to tape. He kept his composure in Michigan’s biggest game of the year. Michigan started the game slow, but Blankenburg’s response to the dangerous hit set an example that the Wolverines could look to the rest of the game. Michigan needed its leader in its biggest game this season, and Blankenburg delivered.
Four biggest takeaways from the Wolverines’ preseason open practice NICK STOLL
Daily Sports Writer
Eli Brooks and Zeb Jackson not practicing While teammates stretched and shot around, fifth-year senior guard Eli Brooks and sophomore guard Zeb Jackson stood off to the side. Brooks’ sported a walking boot on his left foot, with the injury announced as a mild sprain. When asked whether it would affect him longer term and possibly bleed into the start of the regular season, Brooks replied matter-of-factly: “I’m not going to miss any games or anything.”
Jackson was out with an illness rather than an injury, a team spokesperson said on Friday. His symptoms were enough to prevent him from practicing, but not enough to keep him home and away from his teammates. This resulted in senior guard Adrien Nunez lining up on defense with what appeared to be the first-teamers, while freshman guards Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, and Isaiah Barnes stood on the offensive side of the ball. Caleb Houstan is as advertised On the topic of freshman, forward Caleb Houstan showed a glimpse of what he might bring to this Michigan team. In shootaround before the start
of practice, Houstan drained shot after shot from mid-range and a significant portion from beyond the arc. In the team’s first drill, a passing exercise, Houstan looked smooth and natural. In the few times the Wolverines messed up and were forced to restart the drill, Houstan wasn’t anywhere near the ball. Where he showed a flash of what made him 247Sport’s No. 10 nationally ranked recruit was in a mobile catch and shoot drill. It called for players running from baseline to elbow and back again after each shot for a minute straight. Each time Caleb’s turn came, he drew the gaze of the media. Shot after shot fell through the hoop, making it
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seem like Houstan would have to try harder to miss a shot than he would to make one. “He shoots the lights out,” Collins said at Michigan media day on Friday. “I mean I personally, when I walk around the gym and locker room, I call him Klay Thompson.” Houstan showed reporters what Collins meant when he said that on Friday. Though, it is important to remember that Houstan was not being guarded during the drill, and once defense is factored in, his efficiency is guaranteed to drop. Still, Houstan displayed his natural talent, and it was something that you couldn’t help but recognize. A new-look Terrance Williams II When sophomore forward Terrance Williams II took the court, he looked noticeably slimmer. His 6-foot-7 frame presented itself as that of a more agile small forward than a bruiser who could throw themselves around down low. The transformation was intentional on Williams’ part, and encompassed a large part of his offseason plan. “Over the offseason, I ate. I changed my eating habits. That’s really what it was,” Williams said. “Constantly eating greens like vegetables, I didn’t eat a lot last year. … It’s all paying off now because I feel it. I feel better now and I’m gonna continue to do my diet. It’s working now, staying disciplined” Paired with a workout regimen that aligned with his goals, Williams has shed 10 pounds, dropping from 240 to 230 entering the season. But his transformation doesn’t appear to be limited only to his physical attributes. Williams’ jump shot looked a lot smoother than the one he touted last year, and he, too, shot at a very high clip during the catch-and-shoot
drill. “Terrance, especially, I’ve seen his jump shot improve tremendously,” senior forward Brandon Johns Jr. said. “There’s a lot more consistency.” If Williams can find that consistency in games, it will be a boon to this Michigan team, and It’s something that will be crucial for his ability to find minutes in the upcoming season. Big men stretch the floor At this point, it’s still all speculative. Without watching an intra-team scrimmage, drills that incorporated full-speed defenders or a game, it’s hard to make any definitive conclusions. That being said, freshman big man Moussa Diabate and sophomore big man Hunter Dickinson were sinking shots left and right. Diabate, especially, looked talented. On the hoop where he spent the majority of open practice, it seemed he was running through shooting drills more than anyone else on the floor. He hit shots from the baseline, the elbow and
deeper shots closer to the arc. In warmups, he practiced floaters from the free throw line, making a meaningful amount of them. At 6-foot-11, any kind of shooting presence that he brings could prove to be a problem for opposing defenses. “It’s just unbelievable what he can do out there on the court,” Johns said. “It surprises me all the time.” In another part of the court, Dickinson participated in the same drills. From the baseline, he was banking his shots off the backboard and in on most of the ones he took. He also made a high percentage from shots closer to the perimeter. Dickinson has been looking to add a jump shot to his game to take it to the next level. The work he’s put in during the offseason was apparent on Friday, and truly becoming somewhat of a shooting threat will be necessary for his prospective NBA career. “I think just the three pointers are probably the biggest thing that (NBA) teams want to see out of me,” Dickinson said.
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily Freshman forward Caleb Houstan showed off his silky shot at media day.
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8 — Wednesday, October 20, 2021
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
What Jett Howard brings to his father’s team and Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class SPENCER RAINES
Daily Sports Writer
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico returns a talented team.
‘M’ learns to trust the process after historic season JACK GLANVILLE
Daily Sports Writer
After earning the first Sweet Sixteen appearance in school history last March, this Michigan women’s basketball team is far from done. They’re just getting started. But the expectations that come with finishing at No. 11 in the nation aren’t getting to the Wolverines’ heads. In Ann Arbor this Thursday, Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico made her approach to the upcoming season clear at Michigan’s media day: “I think sometimes when you get caught up in what the expectations are, you forget the process,” Barnes Arico said. “We talk about that a lot as a program. Let’s just be the best Michigan team that we can be today.” The culture of hard work that Barnes Arico has built at Michigan is paying off: her message has clearly resonated with the team. The effect of this humble and hungry philosophy was evident in her players’ attitudes. “One of our things that we say here is that we’re the hardestworking team in America,” said junior guard Maddie Nolan. “So we’re constantly trying to get extra shots up and get in extra workouts.” Nolan averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while shooting a teamhigh 36.2% from behind the arc. She played 21.6 minutes per game last season, but could be seeing the floor more frequently this season after guard Akienreh Johnson’s graduation in the spring. Forward Hailey Brown joined Johnson in graduating last season. Losing these two starters will hurt the Wolverines, but a strong senior class is stepping up to lead. “One of the biggest things is leading by example,” said senior guard Danielle Rauch. “I’m a big proponent of that, because I don’t want to be someone that tells other people to do something that I wouldn’t do.”
Rauch wasn’t a major contributor last season, averaging 16.2 minutes and 2.3 points per game. However, she did start five games, and this could indicate that she is headed for a bigger role on the court in her senior season in addition to her role as a leader in the locker room. Rauch isn’t the only senior stepping up as leader. Senior forward Naz Hillmon is looking to build off of a successful junior campaign for both herself and the team. “I want to do anything that I can to help my team be successful,” said Hillmon. “I know that if I’m putting 110% out there and doing my best, that’s the most you can ask for. But, I’m a competitor. I like to win.” Hillmon was a tough problem for opposing teams last year, averaging 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game and earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors. Her dominance in the post was a constant, highlighted by a school-record 50-point and 16-rebound game against archrival Ohio State in Columbus last season. Senior guards Leigha Brown and Amy Dilk join Hillmon as the returning starters from last year’s team. Brown averaged 18.2 points per game last season while shooting an efficient 52.3% from the field. Meanwhile, Dilk led the team with 3.9 assists per game a year ago. This one-two punch of scoring and playmaking will continue to be a dynamic combination in the backcourt for Michigan. After a successful campaign last season and with a lot of talent returning, the Wolverines appear poised to continue their presence in the national spotlight. But until that happens, it looks like Michigan will keep working hard and trusting the process. “Everything that we had to go through and all of those little hurdles and obstacles that we had to overcome really brought us closer together,” said Barnes Arico. “And we were ready for the moment when the moment came.”
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MARY NORRIS
An American writer and former copy editor for The New Yorker. Author of Between You and Me:Confessions of a Comma Queen and Greek to Me. GERALD F. ELSE LECTURE IN THE HUMANITIES
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 | 4:00 p.m. | Michigan League Hussey Room
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It’s not every day that a player in a 6-foot7 frame can do all the things that Jett Howard can. He profiles as a knockdown shooter, a two-way player, a three-level scorer and a more than capable playmaker. The son of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and 37th ranked player nationally in the class of 2022, according to 247sports, Jett committed to the Wolverines from IMG Academy on Instagram Live Wednesday afternoon. The four-star prospect has shown he not only possesses all the tools to play at the collegiate level, but to f lourish. “He’s an elite playmaker,” IMG Academy coach Sean McAloon said. “He can make plays off the dribble, and he’s also an elite shooter. I think the thing that people don’t notice enough about him is that I don’t think there’s anybody (at his position) that passes the ball better than he does. The things that he sees, the way in which he sees them and how he delivers on time, it’s a special quality.” It’s because of these qualities that Michigan has reason to anticipate Jett’s arrival next season. A versatile wing player that can make the extra pass or knock down a jump shot could find a spot on any college team in America. And when Jett steps foot in Ann Arbor, he figures to be in contention for a starting role. McAloon believes that he is well-suited to play the ‘2’ in college and immediately make a difference on the Wolverines’ perimeter. But, in order to become someone who could lead a college-level offense, Jett will have to find a way to take his game to the next level. “Vocally, he’s not ready to put the pieces
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily Michigan coach Juwan Howard snagged his four-star son, Jett, out of the IMG Academy.
where they need to be,” McAloon said. “But, I believe he has the ability inside to (initiate offense at a college level) as long he’s willing to vocally put the pieces on the map … I’m sure that would be the next step in his growth.” If Jett finds a way to elevate himself to that next level that McAloon suggested, then there’s no telling how high his ceiling could be. For now, Jett is ranked 37th nationally, but with his senior season at IMG Academy still to come, his ranking could very well rise over the course of next year. McAloon certainly thinks there are areas to his game that scouts are overlooking.
“I think people don’t give him the credit he deserves,” McAloon said. “I think people miss on him, and they think it’s like, well, you know, it was given to him. “Nobody gave him the ability to shoot the way shoots, and nobody gave him the ability to pass the way he passes, or the instincts that he has. Those are things that are worked on. And I think a lot of times people just see what they want to see as opposed to the time that somebody puts in the gym.” And if Jett has his way, he’ll soon be recognized for being more than just Juwan’s son.
BECCA MAHON/Daily Michigan freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the leader of a freshman class that brings hope of a strong future for the football program.
McCarthy, Edwards continue to grow with an eye on a promising future for the Wolverines JARED GREENSPAN
Daily Sports Editor
During one of Michigan’s September home games, J.J. McCarthy glanced towards the student section and saw a group of fans with “I heart JJ” painted across their chests. For McCarthy, that level of devotion is almost ordinary. A five-star freshman quarterback, McCarthy stayed committed to Michigan last fall even amidst the throes of the Wolverines’ 2-4 season, while the program floundered and uncertainty swirled. McCarthy and Donovan Edwards, a five-star freshman running back, were heralded as the duo that would rescue the program from the depths of the abyss and bring it back to national relevance. All of that hype seemingly places McCarthy and Edwards in an odd in-between. Michigan, 6-0 and ranked eighth in the country, is off to its best start since 2016. A year that began with minimal expectations has quickly stirred the imagination. So for McCarthy and Edwards, undoubtedly the pillars of the future, the present situation requires a whole lot of patience. “I know eventually my time will come,” Edwards said on
Tuesday. “And then when my time comes, I just can’t look back at other things from the past. Just gotta stay in the present moment and stay focused.” McCarthy likened the situation to a story he heard from his pastor in chapel. The tale goes as follows: A kid brings a guitar pick to a 15,000-person concert for one of his favorite bands. Mid-concert, the band stops playing and asks the audience if anyone knows one of their songs. The band then picks the kid out of the crowd, inviting him onstage to play the song — a feat he can accomplish because he brought the guitar pick. “That analogy to me really stuck, because we’re doing everything here we possibly can do to get in the game, but we’re not expecting to get in the game,” McCarthy said. “We’re ready to go no matter what. We’ve got our guitar pick in our pocket and we’ll be ready to go when our number is called.” McCarthy and Edwards are taking the initiative to make their words stick. Two weeks ago, after Michigan returned to Ann Arbor following its thrashing of Wisconsin, McCarthy and Edwards, along with freshman receiver Andrel Anthony, went to the practice field to run routes and build chemistry. They did so again
this past week, at 4:30 in the morning after getting back from Lincoln, Neb. “I even took a picture of it, it meant that much to me,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said on Oct. 4. “It’s that kind of group.” Added Edwards: “We just want to get better. Whenever our time comes, we want to be prepared for the opportunity and seize the moment.” That moment has come infrequently for the pair this season. McCarthy has seen more playing time as of late, emerging as a complement to junior quarterback Cade McNamara, entering the game as a runfirst option that gives opposing defenses a different look. “We’re blessed to have really talented players who can play at a high level,” quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss said on Oct. 6. “I think (in) a lot of places, J.J. would probably be the starting quarterback, but we have the luxury where we don’t have to throw him in the fire right away. And we are trying to play him whenever we get that opportunity so that he can develop. Obviously, we want our backup quarterback ready to play whenever he’s called upon. The best way to do that is to play him when we can.”
The same applies to Edwards. He remains a distant third in the running back rotation, trailing the talented duo of sophomore Blake Corum and senior Hassan Haskins. And yet, the coaching staff has emphasized a need to make Edwards a more prominent part of the backfield mixture. And for two players who have been in the spotlight their entire careers, the new roles require an adjustment. As McCarthy put it, he’s “been kinda the g uy” all his career, from peewee football through high school. Now, though, he’s shifted his mindset. He’s taken a reverence to McNamara, emulating both his preparation and leadership. Edwards is doing the same with Corum and Haskins — attempting to mirror Haskins’s physicality and Corum’s explosiveness. So for now, nothing more than complementary pieces, McCarthy and Edwards bide their time until they are the faces of the program. The future is just that, and they’re OK with it. “We’re chasing greatness, that’s what we’re doing,” McCarthy said. “We’ve been chasing that since we were youngins.”